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THE  LIBRARY  OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF 

NORTH  CAROLINA 


THE  COLLECTION  OF 
NORTH  CAROLINIANA 


Gp970.71 

N87g 

c.2 


9H 


UNIVERSITY  OF  N.C.  AT  CHAPEL  HILL 


00032722732 


This  book  must  not 
be  taken  from  the 
Library  building. 


[Executive  Doc.  18.] 


C   9    "       U  '  ' ' 


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MESSAGE 


FROM 


HIS  EXCELLENCY,  GOV.  DAVID  S.  REID, 


TRANSMITTING 


&  o®sasaig,KrnoiiS'ii®s3' 


FROM 


A  R I L  A  N  D, 


AND 


RESOLTIONS  FROM  VERMONT. 


RALEIGH: 
Thus.  J.  Lemay,  Printer  to  the  Stalo» 
1851. 


Senate,  13th  Jan.  1851. 
[Ordered  to  be  sent  to  the  House  of  Commons  with  a  proposi- 
sition  to  print.] 

House  Coms.  Jan.  14th,  1851. 
[The  above  proposition  was  concurred  in  by  the  House  of  Com- 
mons.] 


Executive  Office,  \ 
Raleigh,  Jan.  13,  1851.  / 
To  the  General  Assembly : 

I  herewith  transmit  a  communication  from  the  President 
of  the  Convention  of  the  people  of  Maryland,  enclosing  a 
Report  and  Resolution,  passed  by  that  body,  in  relation  to 
the  compromise  measures  enacted  by  the  present  Congress. 
Also  Resolutions  passed  by  the  Legislature  of  the  State  of 
Vermont  "  for  the  promotion  of  peacer"  accompanied  by  a 
letter  of  his  Excellency  the  Governor  of  that  State,  request- 
ing that  the  same  may  be  laid  before  the  Legislature  of  this 
State. 

DAVID  S.  REID. 


[The  Communications  referred  to  are  marked  A  and  B, 
and  follow  in  the  order  in  which  they  are.  mentioned  in  the 
foregoing  letter  from  the  Governor.] 


[A.] 

COMMUNICATION 

From  the  President  of  the  Conven- 
tion of  the  People  of  Maryland. 


STATE  CONSTITUTIONAL  CONVENTION.. 

Annapolis,  December  12th,  1850. 
To  His  Exccllcncy>. 

David  S.  Reed,  Governor  of  N.  Carolina. 
Sir: — By  the  direction  of  the  Convention  of  the  People 
of  Maryland  assembled,  to  revise  the  Constitution,  I  have 
the  honor  to  transmit  to-  yoet,  a.  Report  and.  Resolution  unan- 
imously adopted,  in  relation  to  the  measures  of  compromise, 
passed  by  the  Congress  of  the  United  States  at  the  last 
Session. 

I  am  also  instructed  to-  ask  your  Excellency  to  lay  the  Re-. 
port  and  Resolution  with  the  action  of  this  Convention,  be- 
fore the  Legislature  of  your  State  at  its  next  Session. 
I  have  the  honor  to  be,  Tvith  great  respect,. 

Your  Excellency's  obedient  servant, 

J.  G.  CHAPMAN, 
President  of  the  Convention.. 


BY   THE    CONVENTION. 

December,  10th,  1850. 
Read,  unanimously  adopted,  and  5,000  copies  ordered  to  be  printed. 
By  order, 
Geo.  G.  Brewer,  Secretary  to  Convention. 


REPORT  OF  THE  COMMITTEE 

OF    THE 

RYLAND  BEFOHM  COHYEHIHH, 

OX    THE 
LATE  ACTS  OF  CONGRESS  FORMING  THE  COMPROMISE,  ETC. 


Mr.  CHAMBERS,  from  the  Committee  presented  the  fol- 
lowing Report: 

WHEREAS,  The  Constitution  of  the  United  States  was  de- 
signed more  effectually  to  secure  the  civil  and  political  rights 
of  the  citizens  of  every  part  of  the  Union,  and  especially  to 
protect  their  persons  and  property  as  well  in  other  States,  as 
in  the  State  in  which  they  might  reside ,  and  whereat, 
amongst  the  rights  of  property  there  was  none  more  gener- 
ally known  or  more  distinctly  recognized,  than  that  offteM- 
ing  slaves ;  and  whereas,  the  peculiar  risk  of  loss  to  whick 
this  species  of  property  was  exposed,  was  so  obvious,  and  the 
absolute  necessity  of  a  suitable  provision  to  guard  against  it 
so  universally  felt,  that  no  one  hesitated  to  acknowledge  t&afc 
without  such  provision  the  Union  could  not  have  been  framed; 
mid  whereas,  certain   persons  in  various  portions   of  the  U- 


8 

tiion,  instigated  by  a  spirit  of  fanaticism,  have  combined  for 
the  purpose  of  openly  resisting  and  defying  the  guarantees 
of  the  constitution  and  laws  by  which  alone  the  slave-holding 
States  can  be  assured  of  the  rightful  possession,  and  just 
protection  of  their  property,  we  the  members  of  the  Conven- 
tion of  Maryland,  lately  elected  from  the  body  of  the  people, 
and  intimately  acquainted  with  their  feelings  and  opinions, 
deem  it  proper  to  declare  in  calm  and  deliberate  terms,  what 
we  believe  to  be  their  views  in  relation  to  the  exciting  sub- 
jects to  which  we  have  referred  and  do, — Therefore, 

1st.  Resolve,  That  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States, 
has  accomplished  all  the  objects,  civil  and  political,  which  its 
most  sanguine  framers  and  friends  anticipated,  and  that  the 
affections  of  the  people  of  Maryland  are  justly  rivetted  to  its 
principles,  by  the  memory  of  the  sacrifices  of  the  wise  and 
good  men  who  framed  it,  as  well  as  by  the  blessings  it  has  so 
liberally  dispensed  t  j  our  country. 

2nd.  That  a  proper  appreciation  of  these  blessings  should 
lead  every  State  in  the  Union  to  adopt  all  such  measures,  as 
from  time  to  time  may  be  necessary  to  give  complete  and 
full  effect  to  any  provision  of  the  constitution  or  of  the  laws 
pursuant  thereto,  intended  for  the  protection  of  any  portion 
of  this  great  family  of  States. 

3rd.  That  while  we  do  not  conceal  that  the  several  acts 
of  Congress  passed  at  their  late  session,  relating  to  the  ad- 
mission of  California,  to  the  territorial  governments  of  Utah 
and  New  Mexico,  to  the  adjustment  of  the  boundary  of  Tex- 
as, to  the  prohibition  of  the  slave  trade  in  the  District  of 
Columbia,  and  to  the  reclamation  of  fugitives  from  labor,  do 
not,  to  the  extent  we  desired,  meet  the  just  demands  of  the 
South;  nevertheless,  viewing  these  several  acts  as  parts  of  an 
entire  system,  to  be  adhered  to  and  maintained  as  a  whole, 
proceeding  on  the  basis  of  compromise,  and  intended  by  a 
permanent  adjustment  of  so  many  critical  questions,  to  heal 
the  public  agitation  and  perpetuate  the  Union,  they  have 
received  our  acquiescence,  and  have  inspired  us  witli  admira- 


tion  of  those  eminent  statesmen,  who  rising  above  the  influ- 
ence of  party  and  sectional  considerations,  periled  their  we'll 
earned  reputation,  for  the  enduring  welfare  of  their  country. 

4th.  That  the  vigorous  and  faithful  execution  by  the 
General  Government  of  all  laws  made  in  pursuance  of  the 
Constitution,  is  its  primary  duty,  and  affords  the  only  se- 
curity for  the  just  protection  of  the  rights  and  property  of 
the  citizens,  and  for  the  permanency  of  the  Union;  and  it  is 
equally  the  duty  of  all  good  citizens  ,  to  encourage  and  sup- 
port the  officers  of  the  Government  in  the  execution  of  the 
laws,  and  to  discountenance  and  rebuke  the  efforts  of  those 
who  seek  to  subvert  them;  and  while  therefore  we  entertain 
every  proper  confidence  in  the  ability  and  determination  of 
the  Chief  Magistrate  of  the  Union,  faithfully  to  perform  his 
duty  in  the  present  crisis,  and  take  the  opportunity  to  tender 
to  him  our  assurances  that  in  any  emergency  that  should 
require  it,  he  may  safely  rely  upon  the  cordial  co-operation 
of  the  people  of  Maryland,  we  cannot"  withhold  the  warmest 
expression  of  our  firm  and  continued  reliance  upon  the  pa- 
triotism of  those  of  our  countrymen,  i  n  all  sections  of  the 
Union,  who  have  fearlessly  asserted  the  constitutional  rights 
of  the  South;  and  in  view  cf  the  calamities  which  must  ensue, 
if  those  rights  continue  to  be  violated,  we  would  earnestly 
suggest  to  the  Governments  of  the  non-slaveholding  States^ 
the  propriety  and  importance  of  enacting  such  laws  as  will 
facilitate  the  recovery  of  fugitives  from  labor  :  and  upon  tho 
citizens  of  every  State,  we  would  anxiously  urge  the  absolute 
necessity  of  maintaining  and  enforcing  each  and  all  of  the 
measures  of  adjustment  adopted  at  the  last  session  of  Con- 
gress. 

5th.  That  of  the  aforesaid  series' of  laws  that  intended  to 
ensure  the  restoration  of  fugitives  from  labor  is  the  only  one 
professing  to  protect  the  peculiar  rights-  and  institutions  of 
the  Southern!  States,  from'  the  mischievous  hostility  of  a  wick- 
,ed  fanaticism  in  other  portions  of  the  Uniony  is  but  a  tardy 
and  meagre  measure  of  compliance  with  the  clear,  explicit 
and  imperative  injunctions  of  the  Constitution,  and  holds 
[Sig.  2,  Ex.  Doc.  18.] 


10 

out'the  only  hope  that  the  protection  'which  the  South  was 
authorized  to  expect  from  the  Union  of  the  States,  to  this 
species  of  property  will  be  afforded  to  them,  and  being  the 
chief  inducement  to  the  South  for  its  accession  to  the  com- 
promise, the  repeal  of  that  law,  or  the  failure  to  enforce  its 
provisions,  could  only  be  regarded  as  evidence  of  a  determin- 
ed purpose  in  other  States,  to  violate  the  sacred  charter  of 
our  rights  or  a  want  of  ability  in  the  General  Government  to 
enforce  the  laws  made  for  our  protection,  and  in  either  event 
there  would  be  a  failure  to  comply  with  the  soleain  obliga- 
tions which  give  to  the  constitution  its  chief  value,  and  bind- 
ing force,  and  which  could  not  be  violated,  or  deliberately 
evaded  without  leading  to  a  dissolution  of  the  Union. 

E.  F.  CHAMBERS,  Chairman, 

JAMES  R.  HOPEWELL, 

A.  RANDALL, 

GEO.  W.  WEEMS, 

WM.  D.  MERRICK, 

JAMES  M,  BUCHANAN, 

EDWARD  LLOYD, 

JOHN  DENNIS, 

LOUIS  McLANE,- 

WILLIAM  H.  TUCK, 

WILLIAM  GRASON, 

L.  L.  DIRICKSON, 

SAMUEL  M.  MAGRAWr, 

R.  C.  CARTER, 

LEWIS  P.  EIERY, 

WASHINGTON  WATERS, 

W.  M.  HOLLYDAY, 

JACOB  SHOWER, 

ROBERT  J.  BRENT, 

JOHN  D.  GAITHER, 

WM.  T.  GOLDSBOROUGHV 
Which  was  read. 


PROCEEDINGS 


OF   THE 


CONTENTION 


ON   THK 


REPORT. 


On  the  question  being  put,  "will  the  Convention  adopt  8aid 
resolutions?" 

Mr.  Chambers  of  Kent,  moved  for  the  yeas  and  nays, 
which  being  ordered  appeared  as  follows  : 

Affirmative  .• — Messrs.  Chapman,  President,  Morgan, 
Blakistone,  Dent,  Hopewell,  Lee,  Chambers,  of  Kent, 
Mitchell,  Bicaud,  Donaldson,  Dorsey,  Wells,  Randall,  Kent, 
Sellman,  Weems,  Dalrymple,  Sollers,  Merrick,  Jenifer, 
Buchanan,  Bell,  Welsh,  Chandler,  Ridgely,  Lloyd,  Dashiell, 
Williams,  Hicks,  Hodson,  Goldsborough,  Eccleston,  Phelps, 
Miller,  McLane,  Bowie,  Tuck,  Sprigg,  McCubbin,  Spencer, 
Grason,  George,  Wright,  Dirickson,  McMaster,  Fooks,  Shri- 
ver,  Biser,  Annan,  Sappington,  McHenry,  Magraw,  Nelson, 
Carter  Thawley,  Stewart  of  Caroline,  Hardcastle,  Gwinn, 
Stewart,  of  Baltimore  city,   Brent  of  Baltimore  city,  Sher- 


*2 

wood,  of  Baltimore  city,  Wave,  Schley,  Fiery,  Harbine,  Neill, 
Michael,  Newcomer,  Waters,  Kilgour,  Davis,  Brewer,  An- 
derson, Weber,  Hollyday,  Slicer,  Fitzpatrick,  Smith,  Parke, 
Ege,  Shower,  Cockey  and  Brown — 81. 

So  the  resolution  was  unanimously  assented  to. 


COMMUNICATION 

From  the  Governor   of  Vermont. 


||seal.||  Executive  Department,       '( 

<—^ — >  Montpdier,  Vt.\  Nov.  13, 1850.  ^ 

//««  Excellency  the  Governor  of  North  Carolina  : ' 

Sir  : — I  have  the  honor  to  transmit  to  you  the  accompa- 
nying Resolutions  relating  to  the  subject  of  Peace,  recently 
.idoptedby  the  General  Assembly  of  this  State,  to  the  end 
that  your  Excellency  may  cause  them  to  be  laid  before  the 
Legislature  of  the  State  over  which  you  preside. 
1  have  the  honor  to  be, 

With  consideration  of  high  respect, 

Your  obedient  servant, 
'  CH.  K.  WILLIAMS, 
&ij  the  Governor, 

R,  T.  ANDREW,  Secretary, 


RESOLUTIONS  FOR  THE  PROMi 


1;  Resolved,  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives'^ 
That  our  Senators  and  Representatives  in  Congress  be  re* 
qested  to  press  upon  the  consideration  of  their  respective 
Houses,  with  as  litfle  cfelay  as  may  be,  the  propriety  of  a! . 
joint  resolution,  requesting  the  President  of  the  United 
States  to  propose  to  all  nations,  with  whom  we  have  regular 
diplomotic  intercourse,  the  establishment  of  a  permanent 
Board  to  settle  all  international  disputes  or  claims. 

2.  Resolved,  That  the  Governor  be  requested  to  forward 
a  copy  of  these  resolutions  to  the  President  of  the  United 
States,  and  to  the  Executive  of  each  of  the  States  of  the 
Union,  inviting  the  latter  to  lay  the  same  before  their  res- 
pective Legislatures,  and  request  their  eo-operation. 


} 


STATE  OF  VERMONT. 

Secretary  or  State's  Or?  ice, 
Montpelier,  November  14,  1850. 

I  hereby  certify  that  the  foregoing  are  correct  copies  of 
Resolutions  adopted  by  the  General  Assembly  of  this  State, 
on-  file  in  this  Office. 

FERRAND  F.  MERRILL, 

Secretary  of  State; 


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